Bullet-casting machine



T. B. STEPHENSON.

BULLET CASHNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 28. 1918.

1 81 1.9 Patented Oct. 21,1919.

W I: I '1 I] 11.

' UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

.' THOMAS H. STEPHENSON, 0F FORESTVILLE, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO I FRANK S. TRUMBULL, 0F BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

BULLET-CASTING MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS B. STEPHEN- soN, a cltizen of theUnited States of America, residing at Forestville, Connecticut,- have invented a new and useful Bullet- (lasting Machine, of which the following is ent from or attached to a continuous rod or gate, such objects being separated from the gate as the casting progresses.

The objects of the invention are to automatically dispose of the gate metal and to prevent loss or waste of the same.

Further objects of the invention are to render the operation of the machine continuous and automatic.

Briefly stated, the invention consists in returning the gate metal as fast as the cast objects are stripped therefrom to the casting pot which provides the supply of casting metal. The means for accomplishing this purpose consists in the present disclosure of transfer means in the form of a guiding chute which takes the cast rod af ter the objects are stripped therefrom and redirects the same back into the casting pot.- The separation or stripping of the objects from the gate rod is shown accomplished by means of a stripper blade which enga s the cast red as it emerges from the trave ing mold mechanism. which stripper is provided with a guide for directing the rod away from the mold and into the transfer chute. J

Other features of the invention will appear as the specification proceeds.

The accompan ng drawing illustrates the invention embodied in a simple, practical form, it beingunderstood that the form of the invention is susceptible of modification without departure from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

In this drawing s Figure l, is a side view ofthe machine with parts broken away and shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a broken plan view taken substantially on the plane of line 2- 2 of Fig. l...

Fig. 3 is a broken sectional view taken Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 21, 1919.

Application filed September 28, 1918. Serial No, 256,084.

substantially on the plane of line 3-3- of Fig. 1. In the machine. illustrated the traveling mold mechanism is made up of a pair of endless chains 5,- carrying matching mold sections 6 formed to provide a continuous casting channel 7 with casting chambers 8 communicating therewith. The product of this traveling mold is a rod or gate 9, with bullets 10 or other objects dependent therefrom.

The mold chains are each supported on suitable sprockets 11, one or more. of which may bedrivon as by means of a drive shaft 12 and suitable gearing 13.

14: designates the casting or melting pot )rovided with a nozzle 15 dischar in into the open casting channel. A dam 16 is shown supported in this casting. channel in rear of the nozzle to prevent the molten metal from flowing backwardl The flow of metal may be adjusted as by means of a valve 17 so that the flow will be such that in the forward movement of the traveling molds the rod with the attached objects will be cast and advanced through the machine.

At the discharge end of the machine,

where the mold sectionssepa'rate, due to the passage of the chains around the respective sprockets, there is located, .in the present.

disclosure. the means for stripping the dependent objects and separating the rod from the mold. This means is shown in the form of a cutter blade 18 having a sharpened cutting edge entered in the open casting channel substantially at the point of commencement of the separating movement of the chains and adapted to sever the ob- I jects in thecasting chambers from the odv in the casting channel. The upper surface of this stripper blade is shown formed on an upward incline and curved to form a guide 19 for curling or'bending the rod upward out of the plane of the casting mec anism.

20 designates a chute forguiding' and transferring the stripped rod back to the casting pot. This chute is preferably formed on a gradual curve so as to reverse the movement of the gate rod on an easy or gradual curve.

To facilitate the movement of the rod through the return guide; I have shownra The cutter so as to take the bent rod therefrom and said guide extends rearwardly to a point where it will deliver the stripped rod back into the casting pot.

In the operation of the machine, the molten metal iiows from the casting pot into the traveling mold mechanism where it congeals and travels forwardly ,with said mold mechanism in the form of a rod with objects dependent therefrom. At the discharge end of the machine the cutter blade strips the dependent objects from the rod and deflects the rod upwardly into the reverse conveyor which carries the stripped rod back into the n'lelting pot. The stripped objects discharge into a suitable collection receptacle 22 and the rod is immediately remelted into material for further casting. The operation therefore, is thus a continuous one and there is no Waste as the gate material is immediately remelted, practically before it has time to entirely cool, into fresh casting material.

The cutter blade 18 may be adjustably supported so that it can be brought into proper relation to the casting channel in which it is designed to fit. For this reason, I have shown the blade as pivotally supported at 23 so that it may be rocked or tilted and thus raised or lowered in the casting channel, the blade being secured in the adjusted position as by means of a clam nut 24. v

I claim 1 1. In a machine 'of the character described, the combination with traveling mold mechanism for forming a cast rod with objects dependent therefrom, of means for stripping said objects from the cast rod and means for, automatically remelting the stripped-rod as it is advanced by the traveling mold mechanism.

2. In a machine of the character de scribed, the combination of traveling mold mechanism for casting a continuous rod withobjects dependent therefrom, means for stripping said objects from the-cast rod, a melting pot and means for delivering the stripped rod advanced by the traveling mold into said melting pot.

3. In a machine of the character 'described, the combination of traveling 'mold sections for casting a continuous rod with objects dependent therefrom, a pot for delivering the molten material to said mold sections, means for stripping the objects from the cast rod and means for returning the stripped rod back to the casting pot.

4. In combination, a casting pot, traveling mold. mechanism for casting; a rod with. oh

jects dependent therefrom, means for stripping said objects from the cast rod, and a guide chute receiving the stripped rod and arranged to deliver the same back into the casting pot.

In a combination like that set forth in claim 4, a conveyer operating on the stripped rod in the guide chute for assistin g in returning the same to the casting pot.

(3. Traveling mold mechanisn'i ha ing a channel and chambers in communication therewith for casting a rod with objects demeans for guiding the rod directed by said stripper back to the casting end of the traveling mold mechanism.

8. In a machine of the character described,

traveling mold mechanism having a casting end and a discharge end and arranged to cast a. continuous rod with objects dependent therefrom, means at the discharge end for stripping the objectsfrom the cast rod and means for returning the stripped rod back to the casting end of the machine.

9. In combination, a casting pot, traveling mold chains receiving material therefrom and arranged to form a continuous cast rod with objects dependent therefrom, a stripper for separating the objects from the cast "rod, a guide associated with said stripper for directing the stripped rod back to the castin pot and a conveyer for advancing the stripped rod along said guide.

10. In combination, traveling mold chains having a casting channel and communicating chambers for casting a continuous rod with objects. dependent therefrom, a stripper blade entered in said channel for separating the objects from the cast rod, a curved guide on said stripper blade for directing the rod away from the mold chains and guiding means receiving the rod from said stripper blade.

111. In a with means inclu ing a. casting pot and traveling mold mechanism for casting a gate element with dependent objects, means for separating said objects from the east gate element and means for automatically returning the gate element as the objects are stripped therefrom to the casting t.

. 12. In combination with. means f forming a continuous vcast rod with dependent db-.

castin machine, the combination the cast rod and means for melting the cally returning stripped rod as the objects are separated therefrom.

13. In combination with means for forming a continuous cast rod with dependent objects, means for stripping said objects from the cast rod and means for automatithe metal of said stripped rod to the castlng means.

14:. In combination with traveling mold mechanism for casting a rod with objects dependent therefrom and a casting pot for delivering the molten metal to said traveling mold mechanism, means for stripping the objects from the cast rod and means for bending the rod away from the traveling mold mechanism returning the same to the casting pot.

15. The herein described process of feedingmolten material from a casting pot to a traveling mold mechanism to form a continuous rod with objects dependent there from, stripping said objects from the red as it is cast and returning said rod as it is stripped and substantially while still warm from the casting operation backinto the casting potr 16. In a casting machine, means for eas ing a, continuous rod with elements depending therefrom at intervals, a guide for said rod and a cutter for cutting off said elements adjacent thereto. 1-7. In a casting machine, two chains having: parallel stretches, mold elements carried' by said chains having channels at their meeting edges and communicating chambers for casting a rod with attached objects, a guide for the cast product inv line therewith and means for automatically cutting oil the objects. from the cast rod,

18. lln a casting machine, cooperating oppositely disposed mold blocks having opposed recesses forming a continuous channel and mold chambers in communication with the channel thus formed, means for supplying the casting material into the continuous ohannelto thereby produce a rod with the objects formed in the mold chambers connected therewith, means for advancing the cooperating mold blocks past the supply oint and for separating the cooperatlng mold blocks at apoint beyond the point of supply to thereby carry the cast continuous rod with the dependent objects free of the mold blocks, guiding means disposed in line with and receiving the cast product issuing from between the mold blocks, and

means for separating the objects from the rod by which they arevcarried free of the mold blocks.

19. In a casting machine, movable mold elements,' chambered to form a continuous rod with objects connected therewith, means for supplying the casting material to the chambered mold elements, means for advancing the mold elements past the point of supply to thereby advance the rod and connected objects carri ed therdby, a guide receiving the cast product thus advanced, and means adjacent said guideifor separating the objects from the cast supporting rod THOMAS B. STEPHENSON. 

